Maple Leafs Jump On Panthers

     The Florida Panthers continued their four-game road trip and fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on Wednesday night at Air Canada Centre. The Panthers remain three points behind the New Jersey Devils for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Maple Leafs set franchise records with their 46th victory of the season and 27th home win.
     Toronto(46-24-7) blasted out to a 1-0 lead just 3:05 into the contest. Mitch Marner released a wrist shot from the high slot which went off the back glass. He got to the rebound in the right circle and rocketed a slap shot by Roberto Luongo for his 21st goal of the year.
     The Maple Leafs increased the gap to 2-0 midway through the frame at the 9:24 mark. William Nylander carried the puck into the Panthers zone on the right side and angled a pass back to Auston Matthews at the top of the zone. He snapped in a shot from the high slot for his 30th goal of the season.
     The Leafs continued the torrid pace and made it a three-goal margin with 6:05 left in the first. Marner circled around the top of the zone to the top right circle. His shot on goal was redirected in by Patrick Marleau from the top of the crease. It was the 533rd NHL goal which tied Frank Mahovlich for 33rd all-time.
     Florida(39-29-7) would not be held silent and got on the scoreboard with 2:11 remaining. Denis Malgin stripped Zach Hyman of the puck in the Maple Leafs zone and poked it to the middle. Jonathan Huberdeau scored on a wrist shot from the slot area past Frederik Andersen.
     The Panthers closed it to 3-2 at 15:08 of the second period. Mark Pysyk made a drop pass on the right wing to Vincent Trocheck. He connected a pass from the low right circle to the face-off dot and Huberdeau put in his second goal of the game and 25th goal of the campaign.
     In the third period, James van Riemsdyk collected his 35th tally of the season and 200th career goal with 8:12 to go. Tyler Bozak backhanded a pass from the end wall to the middle and van Riemsdyk whacked in a one-time shot from close range.
     The Cats pulled Luongo from the ice for an extra attacker and they scored with 1:26 left. A slap shot from the blue line by Keith Yandle was stopped, however Evgenii Dadonov tipped in the rebound with a backhand swipe.